20 Expressive Negative Space Photography – Negative is Positive

This article from a graphic design website explains how the use of negative space within an image can make a positive expression. We cover these subject areas in our Composition Course – Seeing Pictures

“There are several things that graphic designers can learn from other professions. Photography is one such field that shares similar techniques with graphic design. Minimalism and clarity of work are both common traits of graphic designing and photography. Likewise, one of the best tricks of incorporating minimalism in an artwork is using negative space.

Negative space is the space around an object of attention. Although some might argue that negative space is wasted space, the absence of content does not mean the absence of interest. On the contrary, negative space generates attention as it puts a stronger emphasis on the subject. It also helps in arousing the emotions of the object in focus.”  See more pictures and read more here

 

 

Abstract Photography: how to shoot urban Impressionism

The trend of Impressionist photography has shown us the natural world as it’s never been seen before. But can it work in an urban setting?

Photography has witnessed an explosion of creative ideas over the last few years, primarily due to the advent of digital capture and processing via the “dry” darkroom. The digital photography age, due to the low cost of memory as opposed to capture on film, has above all allowed the individual to experiment far beyond what was previously possible. It has also allowed people to develop new methods of approach to their photography, here, leading landscape photographers  Morag Paterson and Ted Leeming talk about how to transfer your Impressionist photography techniques from the natural world to the urban environment. Read more….

Storm Photography Tips (With 10 Stunning Examples)

Heading out to shoot a storm can be a great way to come back with some exceptional photographs. As you can see from the photographs below, storms often result in moody, dramatic and eye-popping images. But there are a lot of things to think about before you go out on a shoot like this, not all of them necessarily photography related. These are a few things you may want to consider. Read more

Michael Kenna: Traces of the Past

Michael Kenna is sort of local to Oxford, having taught in Banbury so not quite a home town boy but  one of the most experienced black and white photographers still active. This really illuminating interview is worth your time.

“Michael Kenna’s beautiful black-and-white images have been described as haunting, minimalist and ethereal. And by his admission, he chooses to examine one or two elements in a scene, “instead of describing everything that’s going on.” His unique approach to the environment results in simple but powerful photos of architecture, landscapes and the sea.”

24 Blue Hour Photographs for Inspiration

From those nice people at LightStalking The blue hour is that beautiful period of time that isn’t quite day time and isn’t quite night time. The quality of light thrown off is an absolute gift for photographers who can really use that quality of light to produce special colors in photography. It’s had enough of an impact on the general public for at least on restaurant in every city to be called L’Heure Bleue too. This collection should show you why it’s such an inspiration to people.

dreams part 2

These are really great, by Michal Giedrojc from Poland, they will make you wonder and ask why, from his photographyserved page

Series of portraits –photo montage where author puts people in unreal places. Situation presented in photographs have never happened and were only created by imagination and dreams. Person is isolated from reality with the imaginary world around him. The author freely transposes a person between two different worlds as if one tried to adapt to them.

Cindy Sherman

Another in our occasional posts about master photographers. Cindy Sherman is unusual as a photographer, she only photographers herself, most photographers I know avoid having their photographs taken. Her work is challenging, some may say disturbing but her intelligent approach to making art demands you think about what she is saying through her images. This short introduction from her biography site explains some..

By turning the camera on herself, Cindy Sherman has built a name as one of the most respected photographers of the late twentieth century. Although, the majority of her photographs are pictures of her, however, these photographs are most definitely not self-portraits. Rather, Sherman uses herself as a vehicle for commentary on a variety of issues of the modern world: the role of the woman, the role of the artist and many more. It is through these ambiguous and eclectic photographs that Sherman has developed a distinct signature style. Through a number of different series of works, Sherman has raised challenging and important questions about the role and representation of women in society, the media and the nature of the creation of art.”…..more here

She is featured on the Masters of Photography site with more images

 

There is also a very interesting interview with Cindy Sherman in The Guardian here are the opening paragraphs

“I give Cindy Sherman the once-over. Then the twice- and thrice-over. I know I’m staring more than is right but I can’t help myself. I’m looking for clues. Sherman is one of the world’s leading artists – for 30 years, she has starred in all her photographs – and yet the more we see of her, the less recognisable she is.

She’s a Hitchcock heroine, a busty Monroe, an abuse victim, a terrified centrefold, a corpse, a Caravaggio, a Botticelli, a mutilated hermaphrodite sex doll, a man in a balaclava, a surgically-enhanced Hamptons type, a cowgirl, a desperate clown, and we’ve barely started.

In front of me is an elegant woman with long, blond hair and soft features. She’s stylish – black jodhpurs, thick, white sweater, Chanel boots horizontally zipped at the top to make pockets, and a furry handbag that doubles as a great golden bear. She looks much kinder than in many of her photographs. She also looks petite – until you notice the big, strong arms: she used to box. She will be 57 next week.”

For many her assault on the way the fashion industry objectifies and presents women was primary in forging her reputation as one of the most important photographers working over the last 30 years. 

L1GHTB1TES a blog worth checking out

I was contacted today by György László who wanted to tell me about his blog and having had a chat with György and had a look at his site I thought I just had to share it with you.

As he said to me his blog is a weekly photography blog that I started about three months ago. Every week I select a picture that I like (mostly street/documentary/portrait photography), sometimes from famous authors, sometimes from young photographers. And I talk to the author about the picture: both about the craft side (camera, lens, settings, etc.) and about the artistic side of those decisions. His choice of photographers and images to discuss is interesting and the interviews can be revealing. If you are interested in photography, and if you are reading this you must be, I would recommend you check out his site, it is very nice looking too

BRUNO BOUREL

JEFF JACOBSON

ERICA MCDONALD

Here is a sample of the interview with Erica

GL: How did you ‘meet’ the woman behind the window?

EMD: It happened close to the end of the time when I was working on The Dark Light of This Nothing. I had the bones of the series laid down but was out looking for the kinds of moments I had missed in the previous months. The woman just happened to be looking out her window – we saw each other and shared a moment.

The Dark Light was done as personal project. Up until that point I had been focused on the single image, and I had decided that I’d like to invest myself in a long-term story. Magnum photographer David Alan Harvey runs a site called Burn and he had been encouraging a group of readers to see what they could accomplish over a period of a month or so. I met with David and told him about a few of my ideas, and together we came to the conclusion that I should focus on this one; what was started as a month-long project became a several-year endeavor.

See more of this interview and read the others here

Related articles

• Erica McDonald . Photographer (l1ghtb1tes.wordpress.com)
• Photograher testimonial: 13th Life Photography. (jazminscarlettphotography.wordpress.com)

Creative Industries Qualification

We received information about a course that the Royal Photographic Society (RPS) runs that might be of interest to those wishing to study photography with an aim of achieving a qualification.

The Royal Photographic Society’s Imaging for the Creative Industries qualification provides a structure leading to professional qualifications with particular relevance for those in the media including picture editors, art directors, curators, and designers as well as those within elements of education…..This could provide a qualification for educators, offering a focused opportunity for the academic community. Within this umbrella, the relevant academic disciplines from the fine arts to design as well as their applications can be interpreted widely. Specifically it will include areas of photography and imaging that embraces both those who make and those who use the medium(s).

 I have no idea what that means so   READ here for further details  here is a picture from Wildlife Photographer of the Year to cheer you up

 

The power of photography: time, mortality and memory

In the Guardian there is a really interesting article featuring a selection of artists, writers and photographers showing a photograph and talking about it’s importance and the importance of photography to them.

We take thousands of pictures nowadays, but do we still cherish them? We asked writers and artists, including Grayson Perry and Mary McCartney, to pick a shot they treasure – and tell us the role photography has played in their lives

Grayson Perry in his Camden squat in 1985, making a Super 8 film

When I was about five, my mother made a bonfire in the back garden and burned a suitcase full of family photos taken by my father. He had been a keen photographer with his own dark room. I don’t know why she burned them, but it coincided with them getting divorced and my stepfather moving in.


For the rest of my childhood, no one in the family possessed a camera, so I have very few photographs of myself before art college. Family snaps are somehow celebratory of the good times so there was little motivation to record our lives. As soon as I could afford it, I bought a clunky Russian Zenith SLR….read more of what Grayson Perry and the other contributors say here

The Guardian has followed up this article with a space where mere mortals can share their most important pictures,

Photography – share your most precious photo

Share with us your most memorable photograph with a line to tell us what or who we are looking at and why the image is so special to you

You can do that here